RESISTED THE DOCTOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 565, 18 January 1929, Page 16

RESISTED THE DOCTOR

OLD MAN’S SUICIDE FOUGHT AGAINST AID P)ess Association * CHRISTCHURCH. To-day. After severing his windpipe, and bleeding profusely, Terence Shannon, aged 70, a mentally weak man, violently resisted the doctor’s efforts to save him. He died before he could be got to the hospital. At the inquest to-day, Dr. Stevens said he saw Shannon some time ago, and considered him to be mentally weak. He had advised his daughter to have him sent to a mental home. On Wednesday morning he was summoned to the house, and there found Shannon standing in front of a mirror with a wound in his throat. He had a razor in his hand. Shannon was again attempting to"~trut his throat when witness seized his wrist and commanded him to drop the razor, which he did. He then tried to get the wounded man on to a bed, but he threw himself on the floor. One of the neighbours assisted in getting him on to the bed. Witness made several attempts to attend to the wounded man, but his strong resistance prevented him from doing anything. There was less bleeding when he was left alone. The ambulance and the police did not arrive until about an hour later. Witness found that the wound had completely severed the windpipe, and he endeavoured to send him with all speed to the hospital. To the coroner, Mr. E. 13. Moseley, the witness said that in his opinion Shannon was undoubtedly mentally weak. He said that he thought the Constable at North Brighton should be on the telephone. At this stage, Mrs. Barrahill, deceased’s daughter, asked the coroner whether he thought that the life of her father could have been saved if the police and the ambulance liad arrived sooner. The Coroner: I do not think so for one minute. I think Dr. Stevens gave the best assistance that could possibly be given. Dr. Stevens said that in any case Shannon would almost certainly have died from pneumonia. The inquiry was adjourned until Tuesday.